FRIDAY, March 16, 2018 (HealthDay News)—Think you could taste the difference between recycled toilet water, bottled water or tap water?

It's unlikely, results of a blind taste test suggest.

Years of drought in California have given momentum to household use of recycled wastewater. Six water agencies in the state already use wastewater that's produced through a technology called indirect potable reuse (IDR), the University of California, Riverside, researchers noted.

The IDR approach redirects treated wastewater into groundwater supplies, where it re-enters the drinking water system.

Although research has shown that recycled wastewater is safe, people are often repulsed about things such as taste.

"It seems that this term [wastewater], and the idea of recycled water in general, evokes disgust reactions," said study author Daniel Harmon, a graduate student in psychology.

"It is important to make recycled water less scary to people who are concerned about it, as it is an important source of water now and in the future," Harmon said in a university news release

He and his colleagues asked 143 people to compare the taste of IDR tap water, conventional groundwater tap water and bottled water.

"The groundwater-based water was not as well liked as IDR or bottled water," said study coauthor Mary Gauvain, a professor of psychology.

"We think that happened because IDR and bottled water go through remarkably similar treatment processes, so they have low levels of the types of tastes people tend to dislike," she said.

Looking at personality types, the researchers found that nervous and insecure people tended to prefer IDR and bottled water.

Also, folks who were more open to new experiences rated the three types of water about the same. And women were two times more likely to prefer bottled water than men.

"We think this research will help us find out what factors people pay attention to in their water decisions, and what populations need to be persuaded to drink IDR water and how to persuade them," Harmon said.

The study was recently published in the journal Appetite.

SOURCE: University of California, Riverside, news release, March 13, 2018

Recycled wastewater fared as well as bottled water and better than tap water in a blind taste test done by researchers in California.

field_vote:

Select ratingGive This Taste Test Could Convince You to Give Up Bottled Water 1/5Give This Taste Test Could Convince You to Give Up Bottled Water 2/5Give This Taste Test Could Convince You to Give Up Bottled Water 3/5Give This Taste Test Could Convince You to Give Up Bottled Water 4/5Give This Taste Test Could Convince You to Give Up Bottled Water 5/5

Long Description:

Recycled wastewater fared as well as bottled water and better than tap water in a blind taste test done by researchers in California.

When I was younger, the skin on my face was always slick with oil. And as only an adolescent girl can do, I let it get me down. Each time I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I'd recoil at that shiny reflection looking back at me. Of course, now, being in this so-called midlife, I wish there had been a voice of reason to calm me.

If there had been, it might have said something like this: Be grateful for all that oil! You'll miss it one day.

But alas, there was no such voice. Instead, my youthful indignation—however misplaced—made me shun that sebum, creating an aggressive arsenal of anti-oil measures: I rubbed, I scrubbed, I wiped, I swiped. But to no avail. The oil resurfaced quickly, and I, feeling defeated, only became more determined to do what I could to overcome my body's natural tendencies. (Where was that voice when I needed it? Voice to Sheryl: "You can't control everything, you know.")

And now all these years later, I miss that free supply of oil. I also suspect that I damaged my skin in all my tiresome efforts to eradicate that oil (just like I damaged my skin, as so many others of the boomer generation did, by using—horrors!—sun reflectors).

Menopause sure has a way of getting back at you. Years later, that shift in hormones took care of the excess oil and moisture on my face—and my arms, legs, feet and hands (and nether-regions, too).

Here's what: What estrogen gives—collagen and oils—it taketh away. So, as menopause approaches and causes a decline in estrogen, you get dry, itchy skin. This decrease in moisture can begin with perimenopause, the years before menopause sets in.

Not only is your skin's moisture production diminished, but so is your skin's ability to hold on to, or retain, whatever moisture it has.

Next up? A body full of dryness—your face, your elbows, knees, feet, nails and many other areas.

Some best ways to tackle that dryness?

Your diet. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are those that your body can't produce on its own. But your body, including your skin, needs these to stay nourished and hydrated, especially omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in oily fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines, and in canola oil, walnuts, soybeans, ground flaxseed and fortified eggs. Balance it out with other healthy fats from omega-6 fatty acids, which are found in seeds, nuts, grains, vegetable oils, avocado and green, leafy veggies.

Always use sunscreen. While it won't replace the skin's moisture, it will help protect it and keep it healthy (and help stave off future sun damage and wrinkling!). There are so many great ones out there; I personally love this one from Roche-Posay.

Avoid hot showers and baths. It's best to use warm, rather than hot, water, which can pull moisture from your skin and dry it out. Try to limit your time in the water, too. If you see the tips of your fingers and toes looking wrinkled, you've been in for too long. Tip: If you're a fan of baths (I am!), these relaxing and healing Epsom salts by Dr. Teal can add back moisture with nourishing avocado. Epsom salts also help to soothe sore muscles and offer stress relief. And who can't use that?

Apply moisturizer while skin is still damp. Doing this will help trap the moisture that exists in your skin. I love the lavender fragrance of this one by Aveeno, which is super-creamy and comforting.

When toweling off, be gentle with your skin, and pat, rather than rub it dry. Our skin becomes thinner and more fragile with age and is thus more prone to irritation. A towel like this, made with microfiber, is gentle on your skin.

Consider a moisturizing mask. Facial masks are all the rage, and they're a great way to deliver nourishing and soothing ingredients to your skin. Allure magazine offers some great picks for under $20. I recently fell in love with this one, from beauty brand Chaleur.

Add some moisture back into the air. Wintertime can suck the humidity out of the air. Add it back with something like this, which looks pretty while it dispenses not just cool humidity, but lovely essential oils, too.

FRIDAY, March 9, 2018 (HealthDay News)—Most people seem comfortable with their health care providers asking about their sexual orientation and gender identity, a new study finds.

The finding comes on the heels of earlier research that indicated many health care providers believed that such questions would offend patients.

The new study involved nearly 500 patients being seen for the first time at three Mayo Clinic sites in Minnesota. They were given either routine intake forms or forms that included questions about sexual orientation and gender identity.

The questions included:

What sex were you assigned at birth on your original birth certificate? (male; female; or choose not to answer)

Do you think of yourself as: lesbian/gay/homosexual; straight/heterosexual; bisexual; something else; don't know; or choose not to answer

What is your preferred gender pronoun? (he/him; she/her; something else; or choose not to answer

Among patients who were asked about sexual orientation and gender identity, 97 percent said they didn't mind being asked those questions.

The researchers said that finding out about patients' sexual orientation and gender identity is important in order to reduce health disparities among LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex) patients.

"Our results should help ease the concerns of providers who want to deliver the highest-quality care for their patients but may not ask sexual orientation or gender identity questions for fear of distressing or offending their patients," study coauthor Joan Griffin said in a news release from Mayo Clinic, where she's a health services researcher.

Griffin said the findings may apply "to relatively similar areas in the country, especially the Midwest, but there may be differences in other regions in the U.S. or by cultural groups that we did not capture in our sample."

The researchers suggested that health care institutions that ask sexual orientation and gender identity questions should tell patients why they're collecting such information and also explain their nondiscrimination and privacy policies.

The study was published March 9 in the journal Health Services Research.

MONDAY, March 5, 2018 (HealthDay News)—Seeing too many social media posts from friends about their fitness activity can harm your body image, a new study contends.

"When people received more posts about exercise, it made them more concerned about their weight—more self-conscious—and that's not a good thing," said study co-author Stephen Rains. He's a professor of communication and an associate professor of psychology at the University of Arizona.

Posts about physical activity were especially likely to trigger concerns about weight if people thought the friends making those posts were very similar to themselves.

"Similarity heightens social comparison," Rains said in a university news release. "So if the person posting about exercise is someone who's in your age group, has a similar build or a similar background, you might think that's a pretty good reference, and that might spark in you even greater weight concern."

For some people, though, exercise posts from friends motivated them to get more active, the study also found.

"If a person is posting a lot about exercise, they must be really fit, so you're using that as a motivator," said study co-author Tricia Burke, a professor of communication studies at Texas State University.

The study included 232 people who viewed posts from their friends for the past 30 days on their favorite social media site. The participants tallied the number of posts about any physical activity meant to maintain fitness and health, such as hiking, walking, going to the gym and more.

The more exercise-related posts that people saw, the more concerned they were about their own weight, the study found. That could lead to an unhealthy body image, the researchers said.

"Our results were mixed," Rains said. "Good can come out of this, in the sense that it can make some people more interested in exercising and feel better about exercising. But it might make other people feel worse about themselves if they're more concerned with their weight."

The study was published online recently in the journal Health Communications.

As we chatted during our girlfriends' dinner a few weeks ago, our talk was all about travel. My friend J was getting ready to take a winter vacation to Sarasota, Florida, and planning a springtime trip to London. My friend N was debating where to take her husband for his milestone birthday.

No talk of kids or health ailments, it was all about getting away and exploring the world during life after 60 (we are all now post 60).

Travel Is a Popular Pastime A month earlier, I had been to media day at the New York Times Travel Show. The travel show takes place annually at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City and is a fun event. This year marked the show's 15th anniversary. It set records with more than 600 companies representing over 176 countries and 32,398 participants. It is the largest travel industry show in North America.

"Each year, more and more travel professionals and enthusiasts attend The New York Times Travel Show and for good reason," says Maggie Kiselick, vice president of advertising and managing director, The New York Times Magazine. "People rely on the show to provide both exceptional travel offerings and helpful information to help them plan their trips to see the world."

What Are the Top Travel Destinations for 2018?I always like to see what places The New York Times Travel recommends each year. On the list of 52 for 2018, I've been to New Orleans, Cincinnati, Glasgow (Scotland), Baltimore, Germany's Western States, Seattle and Denver. That's only 17 spots. Looks like I have much more traveling to do.

One of the places on the list that sounds appealing is Emilia-Romagna outside Bologna, where they say "food lovers are celebrating FICO Eataly World, a new 25-acre homage to Italian cuisine." There are orchards, gardens, dozens of food production workshops, a 97,000-square-foot market and some 40 restaurants and food stalls.

Ooh, ooh, ooh! Are you ready to travel to Emilia-Romagna with me? Let's go now!

Lucky Jada Yuan—The New York Times selected her (out of 13,000 submissions) as its 2018 travel correspondent. They will be sending Jada to all 52 places in 2018. You can follow her journey on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Would you want to go to all 52 places in a year? While it does sound like an amazing opportunity, I know it would be too much travel for me.

Experts Speak About the State of the Travel IndustryTo learn more about what's trending in travel, I listened to a panel discussion with five leaders in the industry: Ninan Chacko, representing travel agents; Alejandro Zozaya, CEO, Apple Leisure Group; Andrew Stuart, president and CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line; Guy Young, global brand engagement officer, the Travel Corporation; and Jennifer Tombaugh, president of Tauck and the only female executive on the panel. These companies have a combined revenue of $55 billion.

For sure travel is big business, and boomers are key consumers when it comes to spending their hard-earned dollars and retirement savings on travel.

The travel leaders indicated that 2017 was a banner year for travel, except for U.S. tourism, which declined (sadly, due to rhetoric from our POTUS and the current administration) and Turkey tourism, due to unrest in the country. Alejandro noted that "domestic travel in the U.S. is doing well."

Travel is also looking good for 2018. Guy said, "It looks like 2018 is going to be a fantastic year. Every single destination is up except for the U.S. in 2018."

What Locations Are Trending in Travel?Based on panelists' comments, here are the destinations expected to be most popular in 2018:

Spain (about to bump the U.S. as the most visited country in the world)

Africa

Israel

Australia and New Zealand

Italy

Ireland

Iceland

Alaska (strong for cruises)

Cuba (There was a drop in Cuban tourism in 2017, but it's picking back up.)

Israel

Caribbean islands (Experts agree that the islands are mostly back after the hurricanes of 2017. Puerto Rico and some small islands that were badly hit are still recovering.)

Mexico (Tourism was slowed by travel warnings, but it is picking up.)

Stay Safe When You TravelWhen asked about safety, Jennifer said, "Over time, the new global warning advisories will help American travelers." Referring to terrorist attacks in London and Paris last year, she said, "Recovery times are getting shorter—12 months to 9 months to 3 months. There's a new normal. Countries and travelers are resilient."

Ninan reminded travelers to utilize travel agents when booking travel. "Travel agents will have updated knowledge on a location," he said. "They are able to address the concerns of worried travelers."

When it comes to feeling protected with your travels, I also recommend Allianz Travel Insurance. I can't say enough positive things about this company for insuring your health coverage when traveling abroad. I was so glad to have their insurance when I got sick in Greece last year.

Make It Local and PersonalDemand is picking up for localization and personalization when planning a vacation.

"Small is big," Jennifer said. "There is tremendous growth in small group travel and small ship cruising. Life is about thinking small. People want personalization, and you can get that with a small group."

Ninan agreed, noting, "People want experiences that are local. They want to experience the essence of a city when they are traveling."

"People want in-home dining like AirBnb and immersion experiences with local guides to take them into places they would not normally see," Guy said.

Technology was highlighted as a way to personalize a trip—whether on a cruise ship to track a guest, virtual reality to enhance an experience, travel blogs to learn more about restaurants, museums and activities, or websites like AirBnb or Homeaway to book your lodging. All are designed to help you customize your vacation during the planning stages and enjoy your vacation once you get there.

Walking the Exhibition HallWith over 600 companies represented and only an hour to spare, I had to rush through the aisles. My steps took me to:

Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Resort in Florida sounds like fun. Do you know that you may soon be able to retire to Margaritaville? According to its PR team, "Margaritaville Holdings has teamed up with real estate developer Minto Communities to start building Latitude Margaritaville, the first of multiple 'active adult communities' branded with the Margaritaville name."

(Note: The links above are to some of the exhibitors I visited who do tours in these countries and cities.)

Meeting With Travel MediaThe day before the travel show I attended a travel media conference and visited one-on-one with tourism representatives from selected destinations and cruise lines. I learned about:

Cruising is popular with baby boomers, as well as their millennial children. Those who cruise tend to be loyal cruisers. I noticed from the two cruise lines I met with—Seabourn and AmaWaterways—that wellness is a trend.

Seabourn, an ultra-luxury cruise line, is sharpening its focus on mindful living with two new wellness cruises with Dr. Andrew Weil in the year ahead. Bound for Alaska and Greece, each voyage will feature experts in the integrative medicine and Dr. Weil, a celebrated physician and best-selling author who partnered with Seabourn to introduce Spa & Wellness with Dr. Andrew Weil, an exclusive mindful living program at sea.

AmaWaterwaysis expanding its wellness program to six ships in 2018. They are the first in the river cruising industry to offer bicycles on-board. The wellness program includes morning stretches, jogging, yoga, cardio/core strengthening, resistance band workouts and circuit training. Activities are complemented by discussion groups with a focus on healthy eating and relaxation techniques.

Select ratingGive Where Do You Want to Travel in 2018? 1/5Give Where Do You Want to Travel in 2018? 2/5Give Where Do You Want to Travel in 2018? 3/5Give Where Do You Want to Travel in 2018? 4/5Give Where Do You Want to Travel in 2018? 5/5

No votes yet

Long Description:

Blogger Judy Freedman attends the New York Times Travel Show and shares some of the top travel destinations for 2018.

I scheduled my colonoscopy in September and it's hung over my head ever since. It's not the procedure that's bothersome to me; it's the prep and the worry over the findings.

Last month, it happened. I went 2.5 days on a liquid diet (which is easier said than done when you're a stay at home mom all day) and did the prep. Everyone knows the prep is far from desirable and it doesn't help when you're famished. For some reason, this time was especially difficult on me. I was incredibly nauseated and weak. I vomited multiple times. I could barely get it down.

Luckily, an hour before I started the prep, my mom landed in St. Louis and was able to take care of my baby for me. I honestly don't know what I would have done without her, as my husband was at work when I needed to start the prep. MOM TIP: Have someone help you, whether it's a friend or a family member when you have kids. It's nearly impossible to take care of yourself during this, let alone another person!

The magnesium citrate and I don't mix well. Whether it's cold, on ice, with Sprite, with Zofran to help the nausea—it's still awful. Instead of drinking the 64 oz. of Gatorade mixed with 14 servings of Miralax in one hour, it took me seven hours … and I still had about 8 oz. left behind. The morning of the procedure I was supposed to get up three hours before we left for the hospital (3:30 am) and take 10 oz. of magnesium citrate. I woke up with stomach pain at 3 am, attempted with the prep again … and failed. I gagged the minute it touched my lips. Let's just say I was not too confident in my how "cleaned" out I was going to be. In the nights leading up, I started to fear inflammation or issues that would change my disease course and plans for future children.

I turned to Instagram for some tricks of the trade when it comes to prepping for joyous colonoscopies and came away with some helpful tips I thought I'd share:

If you deal with nausea, ask your GI for a prescription of Zofran going in.

If magnesium citrate doesn't sit well with you, see about taking over the counter Senokot tablets (typically four tabs in the evening and four tabs in the morning).

Keep the prep very cold, use ice and a straw.

Swish around apple or white cranberry juice and spit it out in the sink if you're getting sick of the taste.

Have some diaper cream, A&D ointment and baby wipes on hand to ease the burden on your bum.

Use shot glasses.

Lemon popsicles (anything but red or orange is allowed), same goes for Jello.

Bone broth or chicken broth.

Plan that first meal as something to look forward to. Eyes on the prize: FOOD!

Gummy bears—just steer clear of the red and orange ones.

Have a good book, a fully charged phone and some magazines on hand.

Clean the bathroom beforehand, you're going to be spending a lot of time in there.

As I sat alone in my hospital gown, waiting for the IV and the procedure, I had a few moments to think, pray and reflect about my patient journey. My husband Bobby came back to see me, held my hand, kissed me a few times before I was whisked away.

I woke up to the best news! There were no signs of inflammation or active disease and my streak of "remission" continues. I put that word in quotes because I am always hesitant, as my symptoms always come out of left field and blindside me. For now, I am going to bask in this celebratory moment, enjoy every feel-good day and take in the relief of knowing I've gone through another colonoscopy and passed with flying colors!

When I was 21 I was blindsided with a diagnosis of an incurable chronic illness. I was told I had Crohn's disease—an autoimmune disease that attacks the gastrointestinal tract, leading to severe pain and fatigue (just to name a few of the downsides).

Select ratingGive How to Prepare for a Colonoscopy 1/5Give How to Prepare for a Colonoscopy 2/5Give How to Prepare for a Colonoscopy 3/5Give How to Prepare for a Colonoscopy 4/5Give How to Prepare for a Colonoscopy 5/5

No votes yet

Long Description:

When I was 21 I was blindsided with a diagnosis of an incurable chronic illness. I was told I had Crohn's disease—an autoimmune disease that attacks the gastrointestinal tract, leading to severe pain and fatigue (just to name a few of the downsides).

If you fall into that 35.3%, what can you do to ensure a good night’s sleep? Two words: sleep hygiene. Sleep hygiene is comprised of the daily rituals we use to aid us in getting a good night’s sleep. While some people think it’s enough to try to go to be earlier, these daily before-sleep rituals are far more powerful. Here are a few tips to help you get started on the path to better sleep.

Your first step is to set up your environment for a good night’s sleep. Your room should be as dark as possible and slightly cool. If unwanted noise or silence is an issue, a white noise machine or a fan can help neutralize the sound. Ensure you are sleeping in comfort with the right mattress and pillows.

Now that you are set up, here are some sleep hygiene dos and don’ts:

Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day (give or take 20 minutes).

Don’t eat a heavy meal near bedtime as it can interfere with digestion. Also, avoid caffeine and alcohol as well, which can interrupt sleep in the middle of the night

Keep all blue light electronics out of the bedroom. That includes TV, smartphones and tablets.

Exercise regularly but not right before bed if it tends to rev you up instead of calm you down.

If you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep after five to 10 minutes, get out of bed and sit quietly in another room (don’t turn on electronics).

Now that you know some sleep hygiene basics, let’s create a bedtime toolbox. These are the things that you can do to promote sleepiness and a better night’s sleep. Write down any more that come to mind:

Hot bath/shower

Reading

Gentle stretches

Journal writing

Hot cup of decaffeinated tea

Meditation

Quiet time

One of the most important things to remember is that it takes time to build sleep rituals. Unlike habits, which become almost unconscious routines, rituals are conscious and deliberate. Right now, take stock of your current sleep habits and identify any negative factors. The biggest culprits tend to be TV and social media, which include perusing social media or binge-watching watching TV until you pass out.

How to make a change? Take a moment to write down what your typical weekday and weekend sleep routine looks like. What are the things that you are doing that are getting in the way of a good night’s sleep? Writing them down can help you decide exactly what you would like to change. Begin with one item at a time.

A good approach: Start small with the low-hanging fruit. For example, if you are in the habit of checking your phone for an hour in bed, rather than saying you’ll keep the phone out of the bedroom right off the bat, start with a more realistic goal of keeping the phone out of the bedroom one or two nights a week, and then build up from there. Even better, replace bad habits with good ones. For example, replace checking your phone in bed one or two nights a week with gentle yoga stretches instead. Keep drawing from your bedtime toolbox.

From improved cognition to greater energy and health, a good night’s sleep is the bedrock to wellness and well-being. Making small incremental changes to your sleep habits can reap big dividends. Even better, deliberately ritualizing new changes can make them stick.

Sleep hygiene is comprised of the daily rituals we use to aid us in getting a good night’s sleep. While some people think it’s enough to try to go to be earlier, these daily before-sleep rituals are far more powerful.

Sleep hygiene is comprised of the daily rituals we use to aid us in getting a good night’s sleep. While some people think it’s enough to try to go to be earlier, these daily before-sleep rituals are far more powerful.

Their study included 340 women who reported chest pain but did not have blocked heart arteries. An imaging procedure—called cardiac magnetic resonance—revealed that 26 of the women (8 percent) had scars on their heart that indicated prior damage to the heart muscle.

Of those 26 women, about a third were never diagnosed with a heart attack, even though their cardiac scans revealed heart muscle damage.

A year later, 179 of the women had another heart scan. At that point, two women were found to have new heart scarring. In that year, both of the women had been hospitalized for chest pain but were not diagnosed with a heart attack, the study reported.

The study was published Feb. 22 in the journal Circulation.

"This study proves that women need to be taken seriously when they complain of chest pain, even if they don't have the typical symptoms we see in men," first author Dr. Janet Wei said in a Cedars-Sinai news release.

"Too often, these women are told they don't have a heart problem and they are sent home, instead of receiving appropriate medical care," she said.

"Many women go to the hospital with chest pain, but they often aren't tested for a heart attack because doctors felt they were low-risk," study coauthor Dr. Noel Bairey Merz said in the news release. Merz is director of the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai.

"They are considered low-risk because their heart disease symptoms are different than the symptoms men experience," she said.

Women don't need to have blocked arteries to experience a heart attack, a new study finds. Women may have different symptoms than men.

field_vote:

Select ratingGive For Women, Blocked Arteries Not the Only Heart Attack Symptom 1/5Give For Women, Blocked Arteries Not the Only Heart Attack Symptom 2/5Give For Women, Blocked Arteries Not the Only Heart Attack Symptom 3/5Give For Women, Blocked Arteries Not the Only Heart Attack Symptom 4/5Give For Women, Blocked Arteries Not the Only Heart Attack Symptom 5/5

Long Description:

Women don't need to have blocked arteries to experience a heart attack, a new study finds. Women may have different symptoms than men.

Insurers will again be able to sell short-term health insurance good for up to 12 months under a proposed rule released Tuesday by the Trump administration that could further roil the marketplace.

“We want to open up affordable alternatives to unaffordable Affordable Care Act policies,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. “This is one step in the direction of providing Americans health insurance options that are more affordable and more suitable to individual and family circumstances.”

The proposed rule said short-term plans could add more choices to the market at lower cost and may offer broader provider networks than Affordable Care Act plans in rural areas.

But most short-term coverage requires answering a string of medical questions, and insurers can reject applicants with preexisting medical problems, which ACA plans cannot do. As a result, the proposed rule also noted that some people who switch to them from ACA coverage may see “reduced access to some services,” and “increased out of pocket costs, possibly leading to financial hardship.”

The directive follows an executive order issued in October to roll back restrictions put in place during the Obama administration that limited these plans to three months. The rule comes on the heels of Congress' approval of tax legislation that in 2019 will end the penalty for people who opt not to carry insurance coverage.

Together, the proposed regulations and the elimination of the so-called individual mandate by Congress could further undermine the Affordable Care Act marketplace, critics say.

Seema Verma, who now heads the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees the marketplaces, told reporters Tuesday that federal officials believe that between 100,000 and 200,000 “healthy people” now buying insurance through those federal exchanges would switch to the short-term plans, as well as others who are now uninsured.

The new rule is expected to entice younger and healthier people from the general insurance pool by allowing a range of lower-cost options that don't include all the benefits required by the federal law — including plans that can reject people with preexisting medical conditions. Most short-term coverage excludes benefits for maternity care, preventive care, mental health services or substance abuse treatment.

“It's deeply concerning to me, considering the tragedy in Florida and national opioid crisis, that the administration would be encouraging the sale of policies that don't have to cover mental health and substance abuse,” said Kevin Lucia, a research professor and project director at Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute.

Over time, those remaining in ACA plans will increasingly be those who qualify for premium tax credit subsidies and the sick, who can't get an alternative like a short-term plan, predicts Lucia and other experts. That, in turn, would drive up ACA premiums further.

“If consumers think Obamacare premiums are high today, wait until people flood into these short-term and association health plans,” said industry consultant Robert Laszewski. “The Trump administration will bring rates down substantially for healthy people, but woe unto those who get a condition and have to go back into Obamacare.”

If 100,000 to 200,000 people shift from ACA-compliant plans in 2019, this would cause “average monthly individual market premiums … to increase,” the proposed rule states. That, in turn, would cause subsidies for eligible policyholders in the ACA market to rise, costing the government $96 million to $168 million.

Supporters said the rules are needed because the ACA plans have already become too costly for people who don't receive a government subsidy to help them purchase the coverage. “The current system is failing too many,” said Verma.

And, many supporters don't think the change is as significant as skeptics fear.

“It simply reverts back to where the short-term plan rules were prior to Obama limiting those plans,” said Christopher Condeluci, a benefits attorney who also served as tax counsel to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. “While these plans might not be the best answer, people do need a choice, and this new proposal provides needed choice to a certain subsection of the population.”

But, in their call with reporters, CMS officials said the proposed rule seeks comment on whether there are ways to guarantee renewability of the plans, which currently cannot be renewed. Instead, policyholders must reapply and answer medical questions again. The proposal also seeks comments on whether the plans should be allowed for longer than 12-month periods.

The comment period for the proposed rule runs for 60 days. Verma said CMS hopes to get final rules out “as quickly as possible,” so insurers could start offering the longer duration plans.

Short-term plans had been designed as temporary coverage, lasting for a few months while, for instance, a worker is between jobs and employer-sponsored insurance. They provide some protection to those who enroll, generally paying a percentage of hospital and doctor bills after the policyholder meets a deductible.

They are generally less expensive than ACA plans, because they cover less. For example, they set annual and lifetime caps on benefits, and few cover prescription drugs.

Most require applicants to pass a medical questionnaire — and they can also exclude coverage for preexisting medical conditions.

The plans are appealing to consumers because they are cheaper than Obamacare plans. They are also attractive to brokers, because they often pay higher commissions than ACA plans. Insurers like them because their profit margins are relatively high — and are not held to the ACA requirement that they spend at least 80 percent of premium revenue on plan members' medical care.

Extending short-term plans to a full year could be a benefit to consumers because they must pass the health questionnaire only once. Still, if a consumer develops a health condition during the contract's term, that person would likely be rejected if he or she tried to renew.

Both supporters and critics of short-term plans say consumers who do develop health problems could then sign up for an ACA plan during the next open enrollment because the ACA bars insurers from rejecting people with preexisting conditions.

“We're going to have two different markets, a Wild West frontier called short-term medical … and a high-risk pool called Obamacare,” said Laszewski.

Proposal to increase insurance choices means higher costs for less healthy people. This means if you have health problems, plan on getting pregnant, or can’t generally afford preventive care, you’ll be paying more. The bottom line is that more choices mean higher costs for people with health problems.

With two young children under the age of 10, she thought menopause would come much later— "like, when they're in high school or college!" she moaned.

Well, um, no, I said, not for everyone.

The menopause transition, aka perimenopause, is the beginning of the march toward menopause, which is "official" once you've gone without periods for 12 consecutive months. Perimenopause is when hormones begin to fluctuate, and your period (and moods) become erratic. You may miss one month (or two), or your flow may become heavier than normal (or lighter).

Perimenopause begins several years before your last menstrual period, but there's no predicting how long you'll be in that state. The journey can last anywhere from three to 10 years.

While the average age of menopause is somewhere around 51, the fact is that it can happen much earlier—or much later—than that. When it happens in a woman younger than 40, it's known as premature menopause. But the most common age range for menopause is from 48 to 55. One expert I spoke with likened this time to "puberty in reverse."

"I wish there was some sort of guide for menopause," my friend whined, madly swiping at her forehead with a tissue, which in no time had disintegrated into limp, wet shreds of fiber. She told me she was frustrated by all the information out there, yet didn't know where to focus first. (And in case you were wondering? Yes, focus and fuzzy thinking can be a problem once menopause hits.)

Menopause 101

Hot flashes and night sweats

These sudden, uncomfortable hot spells occur in about 80 percent of women going through menopause.

You'll know when you're getting one—they're pretty distinctive. Look for a sudden sensation of heat that hits your face, chest and head. The heat can also feel like it's traveling downward to the tips of your toes or upward (you'll swear you're blowing steam out of your ears).

Hot flashes can be mild or severe or somewhere in between.

They generally last for one to five minutes.

Some women may get one or two hot flashes each week; others will get one or two each hour.

Sometimes, women experience a rapid heartbeat during a hot flash, after which they may also get chilled.

Hot flashes may go away on their own after 6 to 24 months. Yet, for some women, they can last for many years. Occasionally, they're with you for life (sorry!).

It's not unusual, during a night sweat, to have to change your nightgown or even your sheets—yes, they can get soaked! It helps to keep your room cool, keep a glass of ice water by your bedside and dress lightly (or not at all).

Vaginal dryness and painful intercourse

Blame the waning hormones estrogen and progesterone for affecting the layer of moisture that keeps your vagina thick, elastic, moist, lubricated and healthy.

As a result, you—like one in three women—may feel itching, irritation, stinging, burning and pain during everyday activities.

Sex can hurt, too, but ironically, it can also help keep the vagina lubricated because it can increase blood flow to the area.

If it's too painful and/or you are generally uncomfortable, you might want to seek out over-the-counter moisturizers and lubricants or prescription estrogen preparations. Learn more about what you can do about painful sex.

Anxiety, depression, mood swings

It's not your imagination that you're feeling like you could tear someone's head off. The fluctuation of estrogen and progesterone is responsible for feeling happy-sad-happy-sad.

As your hormones level out, things usually improve. In the meantime, medication or talk therapy or a combination of both, along with healthy lifestyle habits, can help.

Weight gain

Eating less but weighing more? It might be time to ramp up the exercise to help your lagging metabolism, which becomes more sluggish around this time.

Fat likes to gather around your waist, a condition lovingly termed "menopot." That's because our muscles lose tone, making it easier for our waistlines to expand. Hormonal changes also play a role in fat accumulation in the belly area.

It's not just menopause that causes weight gain, though. Weight gain is also associated with aging, lifestyle and genetic factors. Find out more about weight gain in menopause and how to combat it with diet and exercise.